Tunisia
 

I travelled around Tunisia in 2003 and have always wanted to go back on the motorbike. Obviously the political situation has changed with FCO advising against all but essential travel to Tunisia. This is a tentative initial thread to see if any persons within the Horizon Community have any interest in a say month long trip across France and ferry across to Tunisia, or whether this is not really feasible at this point in time due to FCO advice or other factors. Having travelled in Egypt just after 9/11 local people were delighted to see me, as tourists had deserted Egypt and I was welcomed with open arms. I am wondering whether the same may happen during a trip around Tunisia. Any thoughts people may have on Tunisia at the moment would be greatly appreciated. Currently I have a TDM850 or an overland XT600E available. Thank you. BradXT

Hi, juste to say I've made a 15 days trip in Tunisia last October including a desert loop, and were very well welcomed. No issue aboutit security.
RR

Tunisia
 

Thank you Roro. To be honest what I sort of expected but nice to hear this from first hand experience on the road. Many thanks.

Tunisia
 

Presumably due to the relative lack of response there is no interest within the Horizons Community in a trip to Tunisia? Thank you.

Fwiw the FCO updated it's travel advice on Tunisia today.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tunisia

Plenty of interest here, availability is an issue.

I've been contemplating options myself, between riding again parts of Morooco (New routes by Chris are very appealing) or go to Tunisia which is a country I travel to for work regularly and appreciate very much but have yet truly explored privately. Riding would be my choice over driving, by far. Security problems are real concerns, more so for my wife than me... but I have friends there.

Do continue sharing your planning please, I might join, thank you!

Tunisia
 

Hello Chris & Squire, I have just revisited my thread. Thank you very much Chris for the update on Foreign Office Advice, which is very encouraging for travellers to Tunisia. To be honest Squire, I am going to shelve my plans, as having travelled on my own on my XT600 for 2 months previously, I would basically prefer to go to Tunisia with a travel companion or two. As I can't seem to generate any real specific interest from anyone on the HUBB in a trip to this country, I am going to scrap the idea and look at other travel options not necessarily on a motorcycle. Unfortunately, I don't have any personal friends outside of the HUBB who are interested in this sort of trip. Thanks again. Cheers Cliff

Security situation
 

I have been in Tunisia at the begining of 2017 and then in Nov 17 for the desert loop. Campings, hotels are empty. People welcoming. No issues with regard to security.

P.s. Going back there in April for another desert loop. PM me if you like to join.

* «*One of the problems that has had to be addressed at airports is people bribing their way to pass through customs more quickly or even without being searched.*»

Yeap, seen with my own eyes 3 weeks ago. I hope/trust it won’t last too long. Tunis appeared quite impoverished at first glance. Understandably resources are invested in securing tourism and bringing back productive investment. Local elections are scheduled in the coming months, people are tired and losing hope. I find they have become impatient, traffic behavior is a pretty good illustration of the now predominantly lack of respect for basic rules. I have faith the situation in Tunisia will keep improving if we continue supporting them, directly and indirectly by supporting cooperation in various forms between our respective countries and Tunisia. The sons and daugthers of Bourguiba need our support! Thank you Chris for the link.

Looking at options to get the bike in Tunis 1st week of April then ride South, enjoy a fish couscous in Sfax, and ride on. Quick question coming out of the top of my head, not yet searched, would anyone know if it’s currently possible to leave a motorcycle in Tunis for some months and return? Time to dig the HUBB but I’m concerned information is probably dating...

If you like a great fish couscous served by the sea, I can suggest a very nice small restaurant on the beach located in Hammamet. It is a very pleasant small town. Sfax is more industrial. I was there twice in the past year.

Look for Resto La Plage
https://fr.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurant...vernorate.html

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Res...8!4d10.6121559

Hi,

Yes it's possible to do that. let me know if you need more details.

Looking for general information on Tunisia
 

I am a 4 wheel driver, not a 2 wheel. However, I am looking for information on Tunisia and am hoping to find some answers here.

We are thinking of traveling from Sicily to Tunisia with our U.S. made Toyota 4Runner. Note: we have taken our 4Runner to Australia (5 months), Singapore (1 month), Malaysia (2 months), India/Nepal/India (5.5 months), and Italy 2+ months. I have also driven from U.S. to Panama (5 months), Japan (rental car), Trinidad (work truck), etc.

Questions for those who have traveled with a car to Tunisia:

1) It is my understanding that a carnet is not required for Tunisia. Is this correct?

2) It is my understanding that my U.S. driver's license is useable in Tunisia. Is this correct?

3) Should we stay only at airbnb, hotels, etc. that have secure parking or is street parking safe for our 4Runner?

4) Are gas stations easy to find or should we carry extra gasoline? (We have 40 liter spare container capacity with our 4Runner.)

5) Anything else we should know about taking a vehicle into and out of Tunisia?

1. Carnet is not required.
2. I dont know (IMO getting an international driving licence is a good idea).
3. During the day you can park everywhere. During the night it is like everywhere in the world: some places are safe and some are not.
3. Gas stations are everywhere except the desert but even there you should be ok with your spare container.
4. If you are going in 4x4, you can not miss to drive across the Grand Erg Oriental and its dunes (https://youtu.be/zXEqSr2ZeVM) Just hire a guide to get authorisation for the desert and some support.

Is insurance required and if yes, where does one obtain car insurance?

There will be an office in the port as you get off the boat.
Queue > Police > Customs (TVIP) > change money > buy insurance > drive out.

Send us an update as I've not done it for years.

Tom:

Yes, your American driver licence will be sufficient to allow you to drive in Tunisia, but don't expect to find anyone there who is familiar with a Texas DL, or knows how to read the (English language) fine print on it. Hence, you need an IDP.

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a translation of your home driver licence into numerous different languages, including French and Arabic, both of which are spoken in Tunisia.

For sure, spend the $20 at an AAA office (or via their website) to get an IDP. You can get away without it in places like Canada, the UK, maybe even Germany or Switzerland, but it would be imprudent to visit "lesser developed countries" such as Tunisia without an official translation of your home driver licence - and that is exactly what an IDP is, it is an internationally recognized and accepted translation of your home driver licence.

Michael

Little to be lost getting an IDP I suppose (I'd get one for trans-continental), but in all my years of travel in North Africa no cop/etc has ever asked to see my driving license like they do when hiring a vehicle or back home when you get pulled.

In North Africa your passport's entry stamp + temporary vehicle import permit (TVIP) and maybe border insurance are what counts, and are all recognised by locals.

you are good to go with your Texas DL, cops in Tunisia have seen it many times as a lot of Tunisians living in the US and holding a US DL are coming back every summer and they do drive with it.

have a nice trip

Very interesting thread!
I often take vacation around Christmas/New year and looking for interesting places where to I can bring and ride my motorcycle in nice weather for 2-3 weeks without spending a fortune. I have been in southern Spain a few times and to Morocco two times with beautiful riding weather so far. I love Morocco! Now I am thinking about Tunisia next Christmas if it is safe enough. Is Tunisia similar to Morocco or does it have their own culture and traditions?
I really hope that more of North Africa will open up for motorcycle vacations. :scooter:

Anders.J

Hi,

"Now I am thinking about Tunisia next Christmas if it is safe enough. Is Tunisia similar to Morocco or does it have their own culture and traditions? "

Yes Tunisia is safe enough to travel, just don't go near Algerian border near Kasserine (se map: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/co...isie/#securite)
I've been there October 2016 without any problem and since the situation had improved.
Tunisia is different than Morocco but both are North Africa countries!
Have a nice trip,
RR.

Ben Guerdane
 

Remember Ben Guerdane just before the Libyan border?

Interesting article

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ben-g...-moncef-kartas

Hi Anders:

Your thoughts - and your travel experiences in Morocco - are identical to mine. I just finished a month in Morocco in February 2019, and would like to go to Tunisia during the 2019 - 2020 winter.

I've spent a lot of time in Algeria and Libya for work, back in the early 2000s. From that experience I can say that Tunisian culture (and North African culture in general) is similar to Moroccan culture to the same extent that (for example) Swedish culture is similar to Norwegian or Finnish culture, or Canadian culture is similar to American culture. There are broad similarities, but also nuanced differences.

Personally, I suspect that Tunisia is a safe place to visit as a solo rider as long as one exercises good judgement. That's not unlike saying that New York City is a safe place to visit as long as one exercises good judgement.

As you know, Morocco is pretty well policed - the government there is very stable, and the national police and military do a heck of a good job of keeping the place secure for visitors. Tunisia is still in flux, and not as well organized or policed as Morocco - but I believe the Tunisians are trying their best to keep the country secure.

Both the UK and USA foreign offices publish periodically updated maps showing where it is and is not recommended to visit in Tunisia. I think that the USA also publishes maps showing where it is and is not recommended to visit in the cities of New York and Los Angeles as well, if you get my drift. :)

Maybe our paths might cross next winter.

Michael

Interesting!
RR.

I am taking a group to Tunisia in late October, 5 vehicles. Will write a thorough debrief after for those interested. I have read the previous reports here and will just update what the current situation is at that point.

Hi there
I know the thread is old, but I feel it is better to use this than to open a new one.

I plan to ride my BMW F650GS (2006) from Switzerland to Tunisia (ferry Genova- Tunis) and tour Tunisia in October 2021.

Tunisia is basically composed of 3 zones. The northern coast with more than 600 mm rain a year, blue forests, hills and many roman ruins. The middle part with 300-600 mm rain, where the olive trees are planted at the double distance, with many Berber and Arabic vestiges. The south with very low rain, salt lakes (Chot el Jerid is the largest in Africa), palmy oasis, sandy dunes, rocky hills, dry rivers and generous people.

I would like to tour the country counterclockwise using roads, small trails and off-road parts. We could also take a guide to go south to the Grand Erg.

I speak French and a tiny bit of Arabic, and know the country since my mother lived in the south for 10 years. But it will be my first trip by motorbike there.

I am used to couchsurfing and to camp or use smaller hostels. I have already email contact with 16 motorcycling clubs and got tips and offers to ride a bit together.

According to the swiss embassy, the security situation is still similar with the one posted previously in this thread. Don't go to close to the Libyan border, nor at some spots of the Algerian one, or you might be kidnapped. Curiously none of my local contact mentioned that, but of course I don't want to try free holidays in Libya.

I am vaccinated against Covid19. The situation is tensed, since oxygen supplied started to fail in the country, having 200 death per day for 11 millions inhabitants by mid July. The peak seemed to be attained around the 20th of July but as you know nothing is constant and there could always be a new variant. I am monitoring the situation.

The country is not shutting its borders - since tourism is a vital industry - but some bigger cities are not visitable. So not a perfect situation but good enough in my opinion for vaccinated, cautious, assistance insurance holding, bikers that will not always mix with people.

I am still flexible with the dates and itinerary.

It would be nice to have one ore more companions during the whole trip or only for the wilder south part. We could also have a guide for a tour in the real desert.

Please join or share your experience with me.

One thing to be sure of - that your country, I assume Switzerland, does not say "Do not go to Tunisia" or similar in their country information. If they do, your assistance insurance is INVALID.

Our group had been hoping for a return to Tunisia in Oct 2021. The only reason we have put it off until next year is due to UK putting Tunisia on its 'red' list, meaning two weeks mandatory lock down on return. You will be fine in Tunisia. Many more Tunisians speak decent English than you would expect. Head to Douz which is the gateway to the Grand Erg and very traveller friendly. Even better is Ksar Ghilane oasis. Tiny place but cheap accommodations, swimming in the spring pool and even cold beer at the cafe. If you want some local support, speak to Ilyes at SaharanSky.

Before you get too far along making plans to visit Tunisia, let me tell you about my experience there last week - it was not at all pleasant.

I entered Tunisia with my Canadian-registered motorcycle, by ferry in March of 2020, before the COVID pandemic began. By April of 2020, COVID had been declared a pandemic, all ferry services to or from Tunisia had been cancelled, and air services had been severely curtailed.

I left Tunisia on April 5 2020, on the one and only repatriation flight that ever operated between Tunisia and Canada. I left my motorcycle in storage in Tunisia - there was no way to export it from Tunisia for any price. The Tunisian government announced that it would grant exceptions to its normal policy that tourists had to take their vehicle out with them when they left.

I returned to Tunisia September 9th 2021 to pick up the motorcycle. Tunisian Customs advised me that I had to pay a penalty of 1,700 dinars (€520, USD $600) because I had left the motorcycle in the country for 17 months. The customs officials were very polite and courteous, and almost apologetic about this... they said that I could appeal the fine, but that the appeal would take several weeks, and I could not take the motorcycle out of the country prior to the appeal. So, I paid the 1,700 dinar fine.

I arrived at the Tunis ferry terminal the next day to catch a ferry from Tunis to Italy. The Customs officials at the port told me that I had to pay an additional fine of 2,200 dinars (€700, USD $800) before I could leave, because my 'circulation permit' that allowed operation of the Canadian-plated motorcycle in Tunisia had expired in May 2020. I explained that the motorcycle had not been used since I left in April of 2020, it had been in storage until yesterday, and I also explained that I had already paid a fine to Customs of 1,700 dinars.

That made no difference, I was told - the 1,700 dinar fine was for a different form of customs violation than the 2,200 dinar fine. I had no choice but to pay the 2,200 dinar fine because the ferry was leaving in 2 hours, and Customs advised me that they would be obliged to seize the motorcycle if I did not pay. So I paid up, getting the money from an ATM that was conveniently located right beside the customs office.

I have no doubt that in each case, the fine was paid to the government, there was no hanky-panky on the part of any of the Customs officials - numerous forms were filled out, official receipts were computer-generated, etc.

So, in short, it cost me 3,900 dinars - about €1,220 or USD $1,400 - to buy back my own motorcycle from the Tunisian government, even though it was impossible for me to have exported it when I left in April 2020, and impossible for me to return to Tunisia prior to September 2021 (the latter being because of Tunisian regulations about entry into the country during the COVID pandemic).

I am very sad and disappointed about the above fines. I'm not the only person who had to leave a vehicle behind when they evacuated at the start of the pandemic - the Customs people told me that there were over 1,000 vehicles left behind in similar circumstances, mostly by French citizens. The government of Tunisia could easily have issued instructions to Customs to waive penalties for people who left during the first stages of the pandemic, but instead, the government has chosen to extract as much money as possible from those visitors.

For the above reasons, I don't recommend that fellow travelers visit Tunisia. The government will simply treat you as a cash dispenser if they have the opportunity to do so.

Michael

You left one letter off a word in the above sentence - it should read "You will be fined in Tunisia."

Go to Morocco instead - the Moroccans know the value of the tourist industry to their country.

Michael

Sorry to hear that retrieving your bike from Tunisia was so costly.
But at least you have it back now and can put it behind you.
The Tunisian economy hit dire straits following the self-immolation which kicked off the Arab Spring. Add terrorist attacks on ‘costa’ tourist resorts and now Covid, and I suppose the government is looking at any means to rake in some money.

For me Tunisia was never the jewel in the North African crown but – same as anywhere – as long as one doesn’t break the rules (or be forced to do so, as you were) a visit ought to be trouble-free.

I agree, Morocco has so much more to offer, but if you’re from central or Eastern Europe, Tunisia looks nearer for a bit of desert sun.

March 2022 - Marseille /Tunis
 

Hello everyone.

New to the forum and very happy to have found a current ( somewhat ) thread on Tunisia. A small group of friends are planning a trip to Tunisia in late March 2022. We will be travelling across from the Port of Marseille to Tunis.

I have been to Tunisia by motorcycle twice both times being in the Optic Rally and Oil Libya Rally, so all formalities were carried out by organizers. We were originally planning to head to Morocco however its closure doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.

I wondered if anyone had any recent information on the vehicle insurance offices in Tunisia or any changes in general procedures for the Ferry document processing?

We are all aware of the Covid requirements and we meet those requirements, all bikes are European registered and carry European licenses. We are all experienced off road ( desert motorcyclists) and we all have international exposure and experience.

Any pertinent information would be greatly appreciated.

See this post, which provides details about how I obtained insurance in Tunis to cover me when I was riding in Tunisia in 2019: Tunisia vehicle insurance?.

The port authorities were not at all concerned that I didn't have insurance when I arrived at the port - in fact, the officer in charge told me to just ride downtown and buy the insurance the next day. I did just that, and it took several hours at the big insurance company office to get the insurance... I think that not too many visitors actually buy insurance. I think that there might be an insurance booth at the port, but it was not open when I arrived on the ferry.

Be aware that the premium you pay will be based on the value of the motorcycle you declare, even though the insurance you get is (for the most part) liability only. So don't overstate the value of your motorcycle.

Lastly, you might want to read my post earlier in this same thread about the customs penalties that I had to pay when I returned to pick my motorcycle up. Here's the link: post #30, above. I won't ever be returning to Tunisia.

Michael

Hi Michael, Thanks so much for your reply, I had indeed read both your posts in regard to you experience gaining insurance and paying fees for your impounded bike prior to Posting my request. Your reply is greatly appreciated. Wish you the best travels.

Trouble in Genoa port
 

Don't know the context but there it is.

Thanks for sending this. Our group had actually made a decision a week ago to postpone our trip as we felt there was just a little too much uncertainty in the area. WE will now ride TET in Spain. When will Covid release its grip on us all.

Fyi, I read about Genoa-Tunis ferry last weekend.

The GNV decided to reject bookings via Booking.com even [though] they're non-refundable bookings. Which makes things quite difficult + they want a return ferry and the hotel booking needs to be for the whole duration of the trip. They say it's Tunisian government requirement, which I know 100% it's not.

A Time of Gifts
 

The rider who had the above problems also ended up getting put back onto the ship in Tunis because he played the long game with the police up to the point when the shift had to clear its workload, so to speak.

There is a long version here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z9Uzg3bKks
I can't say I watched it all but it seems you now need an actual stamped receipt – 'voucher' – from a hotel (which will be checked up on) before they stamp you a visa. Plus a return ticket and reservations for your entire stay.
Booking.com confirmations will not do, even if non-refundable.


Afaict, with help from a local, he got the voucher delivered to the port at the last minute and was let back off the boat just in time.
A French rider with a faked voucher was sent back.

Passage through Customs will also be expedited with small presents.
It doesn't have to be anything extravagant.
I remember this from the pre-Arab Spring days at La Goulette; setting about unloading 8 bikes from a lorry before they lost interest.
It seems the requirement for these incentives is now stronger.
Tunisia was the only country in North Africa which ever played these games which are normal south of the Sahara.

If you're heading for Tunisia it may be worth watching the whole vid.
Or read more about voucher

It is possibly all to do with how Italy classifies Tunisia in terms of Covid risk, and that may change after March 15.
Ferrying from France has far fewer restrictions, even on the same ferry line.

Thank you Chriss for the informations.

Just in case anyone need such voucher on arrival to Tunisia, i am available to help anytime.

Entry via Salerno
 

I was allowed entry on March 15th 2022, via ferry from Salerno. Visa for 3 months with moto. Australian passport and Italian moto and documents.
I had 1 week hotel booked and a return booking on the ferry, since cancelled.

Mark

Considering riding through Tunisia…
 

We are in the planning process of riding into Tunisia for a couple weeks from Sicily. Two US Citizens on US plated motorcycles, considering the Polermo-Tunisi Ferry. It seems that folks are having a hard time getting on the ferry without a booked hotel reservation with printed voucher and a return ferry booked? Are there any other concerns? We don’t plan to travel near the borders and don’t plan on going south of Jebil National Park. Any other advise from recent travelers?

Thanks,
Travis & Chantil
viajarMOTO.com

@TravisGill last I heard is that the president dissolved the parliament and some political commentaries have suggested another more restless phase coming in the country so take good care of yourself.

Since ferries have recently been cancelled - not sure if in connection with the political situation.

Cheers,
Benjamin

Travis, Chantil:

I suggest you read about my recent experience in Tunisia - see post #30 above.

For what it's worth, I'm no novice to Africa, having lived and worked in Angola, Mozambique, Libya, Kenya, and South Sudan.

I really, really recommend you skip Tunisia. Things are unstable there, the government is not functioning normally, and if the Customs people can find a way to extract money from you, they will.

There are lots of other interesting places to ride.

Michael

Michael, thanks for the reply, experience, and advice. When I read your post, I felt it had more to do with leaving a vehicle in Tunisia during a pandemic that was beyond your control. An extremely unfortunate incident of COVID and government agencies not having a plan.

The political situation, previously mentioned by Benjamin, seems like a problem as well. We’ll see how things go as we get closer to boarding the ferry and hearing from other riders who have recently returned. Nothing scheduled yet.

I am still in Tunisia.
No problems
The border people only offered a week, when I told them where I wanted to go
they sent me further up the ladder and they gave me 3 months

I was here for 3 months before covid (2019) no problems then either.

fwiw I booked the first week in Hammamet.

Mark

Just a quick update about the situation.

Hotel voucher is still required to board on GNV ferry from Italy to Tunisia.

This info is not on the italian government website (https://www.viaggiaresicuri.it/country/TUN) nor on the GNV website (or, if it is, it is very difficult to find)

If you are planning to go to Tunisia, do yourself a favour and contact GNV call center before booking.

Thank you Mark for the current information. We’ll continue to watch closely, with hopes of entering Tunisia from Sicily at the end of April.

Thanks for the info! I’ve reached out to Pavel of Far & Further and he said the same thing about vouchers. I guess we’ll just have to plan out our trip more in depth than our normal routine of showing up and finding accommodations each evening.

As a local i can confirm that all the news on some journals and on tv are completely false and no rallies or protests around the country and everything operates as normal.

You are most welcome anytime in case you need any help planning your trip or while in Tunisia.

Not surprising about the news. Thank you. We’ll let you know if we need any assistance.

Fyi TravisGill: Moroccan vehicle ferries from Spain are said to resume on Monday.
Less aggro and more interest all round, unless you are dead set on Tun.

I've ridden extensively in both Morocco and Tunisia recently, and I agree 100% with Chris's comment - you will have a much, much better time in Morocco than you would in Tunisia.

To me, the choice is a no-brainer, and that's not because of the bad experience I had there last year, it's because Morocco is much more "dense" than Tunisia, and has far better infrastructure all around. It is also geographically far more varied and interesting than Tunisia.

Michael

PS to Travis: Be aware that the holy month of Ramadan takes place from April 1 to May 1 this year. Ramadan is not a good time to travel in Islamic countries. Everything slows down, especially in the afternoons, due to the fasting, and although non-Muslim visitors are not expected to fast, it is impolite to eat, drink, or smoke in front of those who are fasting.

There is an excellent article in the Washington Post newspaper (America's quality newspaper of record) discussing food supply problems in Tunisia that have arisen as a result of the conflict in Ukraine.

The Washington Post has a paywall, but if you clear your browser cache you can usually read one or two stories before the paywall kicks in. If you are thinking of going to Tunisia this year, this story is a "must read:.

Here's the link: Tunisia among countries seeing major economic consequences from war in Ukraine.

I'm not trying to crap on Tunisia, but I would have very serious concerns about going there this summer. Between the general malaise caused by the suspension of normal governance in the country, and now the effect of food shortages, there is great potential for civil unrest.

Michael

We’ll see… Ferries have been expected to resume for months so I’m not holding my breath. I was hopeful in March but lost most of that after having three ferries be canceled on us.

As for Tunisia… We just want to experience the country - The history, culture, and sites. We want to do the same for Morocco as well. However, based on recent events in Tunisia with political climate and food shortages, we are having second thoughts.

Thank you Michael for the link. I was unable to read the article but found other articles from other news agencies that discussed the hoarding of food not helping the situation. Tunisia is not looking promising for tourism…

Agreed. This is very unfortunate, because it is a pleasant country with nice people and interesting geography.

I am afraid, though, that the country is heading for hard times during the next 3 to 5 years. I can't see any way out of the current food crisis as long as the conflict in Ukraine persists (not a political issue, but simply a logistical one, because Ukraine was a major food supplier to Tunisia), and the food crisis is going to aggravate the already quite serious domestic political problems in Tunisia.

Michael

That's a big lie i can say, especially the picture showing a queue of people waiting to buy bread, as this was shot during the month of Ramadan, and in Tunisia we are used to big queue on front of any bakery during the month of Ramadan as must people are used to eat meals with bread.

This is a big shame for such a big name like washingtonpost, i don't see any supply problem as of today due to the war in Ukraine.

I do know very well that Tunisia has a long run to improve for tourism and first is the infrastructure but not as it's being shown in western media.

Almost 90% of the hotels are fully booked for the easter holiday, why would they if the country has supply problem ?

Thank you for the first-hand information. There is a saying that goes like this: “If you don’t watch the news, you are uniformed. If you do watch the news, you are misinformed.”

I’m currently in Tunisia riding around, solo. Been here a couple of days, everything seems fine.. people walking around with full plastic bags of baguettes, and I’ve had my share at brecky and dinner. I saw a demostration in Tunis (hotel clerk said it was for higher salries), but I heard they are common in Tunisia.
I got here with Grimaldi, didn’t have a ”voucher”. They asked for it, but I just showed my booking-reservations and my return-ticket, and they let me pass. Didn’t know there might have been problems, got lucky I guess.
But everything seems fine, and my embassy here said I’m gonna have a nice holiday

Hi Mark, Did the hotel in Hammamet provide a stamped voucher to allow you in the country from Italy?

We reached out to GNV and even they could not find their information about vouchers. What a mess.

Thanks for the info. We’ll do our best to get all the paperwork and hope that the entry process is not too difficult.

I’m now in southern Tunisia. It’s an awesome place to ride around.. really have to suggest riding down south to the Sahara and see (and ride) the desert, if that’s something one haven’t done. Tunisia has lovely people, and you get much more bang for your buck than in western europe, and ten times the adventure. Haven’t been to Marocco, so cannot compare. But I’ve ridden in all european countries (except Iceland, Spain and Portugal), and I’m very happy I’m here.

No, I only had phone confirmation by one of the internet hotel booking companies but I came with Grimaldi ferries. Booking and return ticket was all I had. Many euro bikes are here, none seem to be having any problems with people or food.

Internet bookers should be able to supply a voucher you can print out, some hotels want a voucher via email.

Mark

Wish us luck…
 

We’ve got a ferry scheduled from Palermo to Tunis with Grimaldi Lines for tomorrow.
Documentation printed:
- COVID certificates
- Receipts and vouchers for all accommodations
- Return ferry to Palermo receipt
- Tunisia “Health Monitoring Form”

We’ve got a bunch of stuff we are excited to see in Tunisia - especially the history, Berber towns, the Sahara, and STAR WARS sites. Thanks to all for answering our questions.

Wish us luck! We’ll be boarding the ferry in about 9 hours…

Cheers,
Travis and Chantil
www.viajarMOTO.com

Good luck
 

You two will have an awesome trip to Tunisia, Travis and Chantil!
There isn’t much motorcyclists over here at the moment. I’ve seen adventure bikers twice in the last week + 2 two large groups of GSs (seemed like paid tours). There’s alao a desert- Rally going on in the south, started in Djerba. But I haven’t crossed path with them.
There’s historical sites all over the country. The best riding experienses by far was in the area of Tozeur-Deuz-Ksar Ghilane-Tataouine. The great salt lake and the desert with camels everywhere were brilliant. I couldn’t find nice routes from the internet, so I’ll throw some tips that I found out on the road. If you’re not gonna go desert riding (I mean like dakar rally -style), you should go and ride the gravel and sand -roads (easy with dual sport bikes with fairluy novice offroad skills). To see desert, ride to Cafe La Port Du Desert, from there you can take the extremier route to Ksar Ghilane via ”Cafe du Park”, or easier straight north back to the paved road and down via the pipeline -road. Ksar Ghilane has a natural oasis and is right in the dunes, spending a night seeing the sunset is a good idea. But mind that there is no gas station between Douz and Tataouine, and don’t buy gas from bottles, even the locals said it’s crap (diluted). And take a ride on the salt lake, slippery but awesome! Best knee scratcher and scenic -roads were the roads east and west of Matmata (where you’ll find troglodyte holes where Luke lived). Also the town and road to Chenini (where you’ll also find peculiar berber -housing) was nice (coming from Khar Gilane). there is also lots of gravel roads into different directions, that I didn’t explore, but i bet would be worth exploring.
I’m now at the coast. It’s rather cool here (low 20s centigrade), and it was warm (but not overly hot, low to mid 30s) in the desert. And as it gets warmer by the day, it could be a good idea to start south and then go coast/north, if you’re staying for a longer time.
Have a great one here! I’m on my way back tomorrow, maybe we’ll bumb into each other in the port of Tunis.

Thanks DonkeyKong for the insight to great places. We’re looking forward to our time in Tunisia even more now!

We’re in TUNISIA!
 

We’re in! The excitement of a new country to explore is so exhilarating. We are extremely elated!

We scheduled the Palermo to Tunis ferry via Grimaldi Lines. The ferry left at 2:30 in the morning BUT you must be there at least 3 hours ahead of time because the customs gates all closed at midnight.

Before reaching the customs gates, we had to check into a ticket office where we were asked to present our COVID certificate, that was scanned, a return ticket from Tunisia, and vouchers for the hotels during our stay. We booked four separate hotels covering 26 Apr to 07 May with a return ferry booked for 08 May. The vouchers were a bit of a pain to get - especially from the Airbnb host. Hotels seemed to be familiar with this and were good about getting scanned copies to your email account.

After getting our tickets for us and the motorcycles, we rode to the customs gate and got stamped out of Italy just before midnight. We then had to wait for the ferry to dock and unload for about 1.5 hours.

We loaded at around 1:30 AM. It seemed normal to just trust that the deck crews would strap down the motorcycles, but we waited until they were strapped and we could check that they were secure. The deck crew seemed a bit annoyed with us for making sure our motorcycles were strapped down. We are rather attached to our motos that have carried us through 60,000 miles and 37 countries. Forgive us.

Once we arrived in Tunisia, we had four separate windows or stops that we had to provide info:
1) COVID Certificate verification. They didn’t scan them, just matched the name on our passport to the EU COVID Certificate. Extremely grateful that we had a German friend transfer our US vaccinations to the EU system.
2) Passport, hotel vouchers, and return tickets were verified. The customs guy seemed a bit annoyed that we had four separate hotels that all had to be on the form he wrote on. We got a stamp in our passports for us and for each of our motos.
3) Fixers wearing blue vests with the words “SUP” were here to direct you, but they will ask for a “donation” for their “help”. They were pushy, not much help, and I regretted having them help us because I paid one guy in the lowest bill I had of 10 EUR (32 TND), which he was happy to receive, but his partner was upset when my wife only gave him about 6.50 EUR (20 TND) in coins. It would have been nice to have a couple 5 euro bills for each of them. He later came back to us and seemed to say that “all was O.K.”, after counting all the coins.
An officer, in a smartly dress uniform and hat, was more useful than the pushy fixers since he spoke good enough English and walked us through the procedure of getting the Temporary Import Permit (TIP), getting it stamped, and then paying for insurance. There is also a money changer there that had great rates. We exchanged about 200 EUR into TND and he was super friendly. The insurance for 30 days for one motorcycle was 100 TND (31 EUR).
4) Finally, we presented the officers the blue TIP paperwork and we kept the green one. They also verified that our passports were stamped for us and the motos.

Onward we went, through the gate and into Tunisia. No bag search, and the Health Monitoring Form was never requested. Perhaps it is an outdated document no longer required?

As far as a food shortage. We definitely have not seen that. The markets are full of delicious smelling fruits and many people are selling things like large strawberries and bread from the sides of the roadway.

On our way to the first hotel, we stopped at a market to buy a bottle of Coca-Cola, which was only 3 TND (1 EUR) and some bottled water. The merchant couple could tell we were not locals and asked us about our travels. As we were leaving, they rushed out to give us two fresh oranges, and then the husband ran down the road to bring back some fresh baked bread. We chatted for 10 minutes, as best we could, before giving them a smile, a wave, and a happy “Bislema” (Goodbye).

Knowing a few words goes A LONG WAY with Tunisians:
-Aslema - Hello
-Yaishek - Thank you
-Bislema - Goodbye

So far we are loving Tunisia!

Cheers,
Travis and Chantil
www.viajarMOTO.com

Great sum up, Travis. It was pretty much the same hazzle as when i came through the border. When leaving the coutry there’s even more husslers that wnt to ”help” you for some money, they even try to convince they are part of the Grimaldi crew in order for you to give them their passport. Don’t fall into it!
I didn’t give bribes on the border, everything went smoothly even tho they asked for some.

Tunisia was wonderful, and make sure you will travel south to the wastelands.. it’s quite something!
I’m now back in Italy, leaving Tunis port was disorganized but easy.

You will have a splended time, have a good one! As long as you don’t buy petrol from a bottle and it’s propably wise to stay out from hot red risk-areas (mountains west of Kasserine, south of El Borma or the border-region with Libya).

https://assets.publishing.service.go...Advice_Ed2.pdf

The people in Tunisia seen very friendly, trustworthy and genuine. Awesome place.

DonkeyKong, very happy to hear you had great trip in Tunisia, and most important that you enjoyed the Tunisian Baguette :clap:

Travis and Chantil, have an amazing tour, i guess i saw you riding on the Highway1 from Tunis to Hammamet. bier

Thank you. That was us! We waved as you went by. Happy travels.

Did you leave from the same dock and customs checkpoints that you arrived? Our ferry leaves at 3AM so we plan to arrive at the port before dark to avoid all the craziness of Tunis after dark (no lights, scooters, and people everywhere). Was the process pretty much the same as when we entered? Thank you.

Yes, the ferry left from the same place.
There isn’t very much signs to follow tho. You first need to go to the Grimaldi Lines office by the big parking lot. You need to have all papers with you (but if you don’t have all, like I didn’t, just play dumb and they’ll probably just ignore the papers). Mind all the ”helpers”.. they might ask for your papers, I wouldn’t give them anything. One guy said he was with grimaldi lines and wanted my passport, I was pretty sure he wasn’t and asked for his employment card or something, he didn’t have any. Just give the papers to the booth. After this you drive to wait in line for the customs. It will be the same counter to counter show.. no signs, just try to follow where they point (I went twice to the wrong place, no harm done). After maybe 4 counters and checks you drive up to line for the ferry. Quite easy, but disorganized.

Did you have a pleasant trip? Did you go to see the desert?

Thanks so much for taking the time to share the check-out info. We had a great time during our month in this wonderful country.

As for problems:
-My mule stripped the teeth off the front sprocket. Fortunately, we had a spare sprocket and the countershaft teeth were not stripped. We replaced the front sprocket on the side of the road.
- We were served a lamb meal at a 4.9 out of 5 rated restaurant. Unfortunately, one of the pieces of lamb meat had maggots in it! The restaurant was apologetic, tried to offer more meat, but we were done and left disgusted. At least the meal was free.
- While parked in front of a hotel entrance, we had a small folding spade stolen from a crash bag. The area was under security camera surveillance, but the cameras were not operational.
- I dropped my smartphone at a gas station, smashing the protective cover and screen. We replaced the screen at a smartphone repair shop in Tunis a few days later.
- The ferry from Tunis to Palermo was delayed for 11 hours. At least we had a cabin to catch up on our sleep.

However, these minor inconveniences FAR FAR outweighed the wonderful time we had in this North African country. I’ll be posting a ride report shortly…

Tunisia Ride Report - viajarMOTO.com
 

We didn’t plan to visit Tunisia. Morocco was on our sights for years, but after the third ferry cancelation in March and April of 2022, we decided to move on to the more “open pastures” of southern France, Corsica, and Sardinia. Halfway through our Sardinia wanderings, we were looking for a place to leave Schengen Europe for a bit to avoid exceeding our 90-day Schengen limit. A quick look at the map revealed Tunisia, and it was only a over-night ferry ride from Palermo, Sicily. Tunisia also doesn’t require a VISA for US citizens. Perfect! We scheduled our ferry with Grimaldi Lines, and began to prepare the rather complex entry requirements for our arrival on 26 April. We were eagerly looking forward to being able to experience our first north African country.

Check-in at Tunis:
This is a fairly complex process, made more difficult with extra COVID requirements. It was especially challenging for travelers, like us, who typically don’t book accommodations more than a day ahead. Read our check-in process on post #69, which was written a day after we entered the country.

Overview:
We spent 25 days in Tunisia, touring many sites, and experiencing the culture, cuisine, and people of the country. Our clockwise route around the country:https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...638db716_c.jpg

Fuel:
Gasoline for our motorcycles was very inexpensive, especially compared to Italy. In May 2022, we paid an average of 2.85 USD/Gallon (0.71 EUR/Liter). Fuel stations were plentiful, except in the southern portion of the country. There are many vendors in these regions selling fuel from containers on the side of the roads and in small villages. We didn’t use these vendors and only purchased fuel from stations. Many locals, especially on scooters, seemed to used these roadside vendors without reservations.

Money:
In Tunisia the currency is Dinars. At the time of our visit 1 USD=3.06 Dinars (1 EUR=3.22 Dinars). Credit cards are not regularly accepted. Cash still seems to be the norm in most of the country outside large cities. ATM machines were plentiful in the cities. Most seemed to limit the cash withdrawal amount to 300 Dinars, so we had to make multiple withdrawals from the same machine, and where charged a bank fee of 5-10 dinars for each withdrawal. Most ATMs didn’t print receipts.

Food: In general, it was ok. The quality of meat seems to be poor compared to western Europe. We have never been to Morocco, but were told by other travelers that the food was better in Morocco. We purchased a couple watermelons, from roadside venders, and they were some of the most delicious, and crunchy watermelon we’ve ever tasted. The small grocery stores stocked basics, but did not seem to carry meats and cheeses. Perhaps locals visit the butcher or specialty shops for these items?

Locals: In general, people were very kind and generous. Our first stop at a small grocery store on the side of the road, was especially memorable. After purchasing some water and cold sodas, we were asked about our trip from a couple who managed the store. We told them we had just entered the country and were excited to experience Tunisia. As we were leaving, the gentleman brought out two fresh oranges for us, and then his wife asked us to wait for a bit, while her husband ran down the road to purchase us fresh bread. It was still warm from the oven. We offered to pay for the bread, but they refused - It was a gift for coming to see their wonderful country!

Vendors, Guides, and Helpers:
Some vendors were basically opposite of generous and kind. They are snakes, that seemed to have no integrity for the sake of a quick dinar. Be weary of young men who say things like “Don’t you remember me, I’m your chef at the hotel?” They are liars, and will only waste your time by bringing you to a shop where you will be hassled to buy something. In general, a firm “no”, or just ignoring them, was enough to have them leave you alone.

“Guides” will offer their services and expertise at nearly every tourist site. Often they were so persistent that we just gave them 1 dinar to leave us alone. There was one incident where a guide on a scooter made us uncomfortable because he continued to follow us, and remarked that he would ensure our motorcycles were safe by watching them for us. There was something creepy about him. We firmly told him “No, thank you.” and left the area. He continued to follow us for another 3-4 km before I pulled over and asked him firmly “Why are you following us? We told you we don’t want your help. Please leave us alone.” He explained that many other tourists have used his guide services, and he did not understand why we were not interested. He left us alone after that. There was something about him that made us both uncomfortable, and we tend to rely on our instincts. This was the worst encounter we had with an overly persistent guide. I understand these people need the income from helping tourists, but we prefer to take our time, taking photographs, and casually walking at our own pace.

Helpers, at the border, where also a bit annoying. Often they spoke such poor English that they would not be of any help to us anyhow. The area around the customs checkpoint is full of many “helpers” directing us to fill out forms, and offering to watch our motorcycles for us while we walked to the various customs stations needed for entry. I found these men to be pushy, not very helpful, and demanding of money. They are not necessary - Just follow the locals, or ask help from uniformed officers.

Now for the wonderful memories! Here are 14 photographs that seem to highlight our memorable time in Tunisia. We’ll share a short story from each one:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...925055d1_c.jpg

We love flags, especially learning about the history of flags and their meaning. The Tunisian flag is flown all throughout the country and people seem rather proud of their nation. The red color represents the resistance against Turkish supremacy. The white circle, located in the center of the flag, represents the sun. The red crescent and the five-pointed star are two ancient symbols of Islam, representing luck and the Five Pillars of Islam.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...91cd4a79_c.jpg

The colorful and beautiful doors of many Tunisian homes are a delight to photograph. These designs have many meanings. For instance, the Hand of Fatima (or hamsa), depicted as an open right hand, represents blessings, power and strength, and is seen as a potent in deflecting the evil eye.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1be75d58_c.jpg

We really enjoyed walking through the various medinas of the cities. The early mornings were especially enjoyable - Where one could enjoy the brightly colored doorways, warn white-washed walls, and uneven cobblestone streets, without being hassled by too many merchants. Walking among these narrow streets, while the call to prayer was rhythmically sung from the minarets, continues to be an enjoyable memory for us.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6e0d0236_c.jpg

The tourist sites in Tunisia were especially enjoyable since there were often no other tourists other than us. We visited ancient mosques, Roman sites, and traditional Berber homes, all without the concern of over-tourism. As a photographer, I especially, enjoyed having these places all to ourselves. Visit these sites early in the morning when the temperatures are lower.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0e0657a4_c.jpg

The regions of Tunisia all have their distinct feeling and charm. We really enjoyed the southern regions where many Berbers continued to live in their traditional homes and villages. Many of these places were inspiration for the STAR WARS movies and the desert planet of Tatooine. Interesting enough, the real Tatooine exists in Tunisia, but it’s spelled Tataouine. We spent a night in the Berber home where the interiors scenes of the “Lar’s Homestead” where filmed for the movie series.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...772fbf83_c.jpg

Although the Diar Omar was closed to visitors, it was enjoyable to park our motorcycles and capture the unique views of these century-old homes. We especially were interested in the history of the Berbers, which are descendants of an ancient race that have inhabited Morocco and much of northern Africa since the Neolithic times.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fd887eeb_c.jpg

Our clockwise travels around the country included a stop at the Island of Djerba, where we enjoyed more STAR WARS sets to include the Mos Eisley Cantina and Sidi Jemour Mosque. The beaches in Djerba where also quite picturesque with wonderful views of the surrounding Mediterranean Sea.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...48b826ba_c.jpg

The Granary cellars of Ksar Ouled Soltane and Ksar El Mourabitine were quite spectacular! We especially enjoyed the more remote Ksar El Mourabitine, which required a short drive up a rough dirt road to reach it. Entering the main doorway and having the more than 180 rooms reveal themselves was a magical memory.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9744ec5a_c.jpg

Having been a child in the 1980’s, I have a fond memory of the original STAR WARS movies. Reaching this iconic spot of the “Lar’s Homestead”, where Luke Skywalker looked over the horizon into the two setting suns of Tatooine was an iconic moment. The road to the site is on a dry lake bed that can be a bit salty and quite muddy, but the solitude was worth the experience.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d1f443de_c.jpg

Camels! It’s amazing that you can hop on a ferry from Sicily and then be in a country that is completely different than Italy, even though they are so close to each other. Riding along a desert road and coming across herds of camels was pretty memorable. This photograph was captured in the early morning, just after sunrise.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b4fb1dcf_c.jpg

We reluctantly enjoyed a short camel ride while visiting the filming site of Mos Espa. These are amazing animals that have many adaptions for living in the harsh desert environment:
• Large, flat feet - to spread their weight on the sand
• Thick fur on the top of the body for shade, and thin fur elsewhere to allow easy heat loss
• Very little water loss through urination and perspiration
• Slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashes to help keep out sand.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2fcb6539_c.jpg

The elaborate film set of Mos Espa is a well known and visited tourist site. We arrived early in the morning, just after sunrise, to enjoy the relative isolation and quietness of this iconic area that was built for the filming of the 1999 release of STAR WARS: The Phantom Menace. A pretty cool area, despite the harsh desert heat and blowing sands slowly degrading many of the buildings.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d6bfa23a_c.jpg

Visiting Roman sites in Tunisia is especially memorable because they are well preserved and do not have the problem of over-tourism. It was amazing to walk among these 2,000 year old structures and marvel at what life might have been like living as a Roman or as a visitor to these flourishing towns. We visited the Roman sites of Ruins of Sufetula, Bulla Regia, and Dougga.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...83b3ec6a_c.jpg

We’re fascinated by geographical extremes, especially extremes that are reachable by a motorcycle. The two-hour ride to visit the northernmost point of continental Africa - Cape Angela, was worth it. Someday we’ll make it to Cape Agulhas - the southernmost point of the African continent.

Final thoughts:
We almost avoided visiting Tunisia because of the advice of others. Some of this advice was outdated or came from news sources that exaggerated problems that exist in the country. For instance, we were told that corruption is so severe that there is a high probability that you will be taken advantage of. Political turmoil, food shortages, and terrorism would also make travel in this region very dangerous. We didn’t experience any of these things. Perhaps we were lucky? Perhaps these problems are not as prevalent as outside media would seem to indicate?

We’re extremely grateful for the comments and advice of people who actually live in Tunisia, currently traveling, or had recently traveled through the country. Your comments were vital in changing our minds about entering the country. We now have hundreds of wonderful photographic memories of our time in this exciting, vibrant, and wonderful country. Thank you.

About Us:
We are Travis and Chantil, and started full-time motorcycle overlanding in early 2020. We plan to continue traveling until we see as much of the world as we can. You can follow us on our website: www.viajarMOTO.com, and on Patreon, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

while in Portugal recently, I met one of the consular staff of the Tunisian embassy to Portugal during an event. I chatted with him for over 2 hours and was left with the impression that Tunisia is a country that I must soon visit.

Thank you for sharing your impressions.

Paulo

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing. I hope to get there soon!

Great summary and pictures. I visited Tunisia also in 2019 along roughly the same route as yours. I rode my bike to Cape Angela also and parked it directly on the platform with the sculpture. Did you see the guard in the the little shack nearby? I didn’t see him and then he came out to ask me to move the bike!
My experiences were largely the same as yours. I also used the same round trip ferry from Sicily.

Dan

http://https://photos.app.goo.gl/YwZ6jeKn3dd8hetEA

Paulo, I’m sure you’ll have a great experience. Glad I could help.

Allan, No problem. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

Dan, It’s nice to know that COVID hasn’t drastically changed Tunisia over the past two years. There are rocks piled up by the little beach shack now so we just parked near the shack and walked the 50 m to the monument.

Permission
 

Hello ,

In december we want to visit tunisia with our own car that we are going to take from sicily

I would like to know currently if to visit matmata and get to ksar ghline you need a permit, you need to go with an agency or you can visit on your own

thank you

In november, ksar ghilane and matmata were easily accessible by road. Afaik no permits needed.

Tunisia
 

Hi,Sahara-Maniacs,i want to travel to Tunisia in March `23 by own car/bike. Has anyone used the ferry from Genua to Tunis the last weeks/months?
Had anyone a bad feeling to travel around there? Thanx for your comment ! Greets from Frankonia ;-):palm:

Im in Tunisia right now, you should go!

Tunisia/Algeria
 

Hi!
As I understood - you are on a trip now in Tunisia or Algeria?
We plan to go there in February. Our plan is to come with ferry from Palermo to Tunisia, then Algeria (visas are now in process), then leave with a ferry to Spain.

My main question is - how it is with all bike Custom things? For bringing the bike in to Tunisia, then to Algeria? Was it hard or easy? Did you get some problems? Any suggestions?

Another question about some obligatory guidances in some areas? Are there places where we must have a local guide? Is it possible to enter Algeria without a guide at all?

Thanks,
Martins (from Latvia)

Hi I suggest you read this post: https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...algeria-103794

Read the first post, and the later posts and things should be pretty clear.

I think you need guide if you go to the far south, but you should be fine if you go to the middle of the country.

Customs can take some time, but it's easy. As long as you have a valid visa for Algeria, everything will be fine. Tunisia you don't need a visa from EU.

Hi, a group of us from the UK are considering attending the FIM event in Tunisia in Oct 2023 but we cant find any sailings from France for October.

The various ferry company sites that sail from Italy are listing ferries in October so we are not sure if the French companies don't sail in October or if they have a winter timetable that comes out later in the year.
thanks

I think it's a winter timetable that comes out later in the year.
I seem to recall this from years ago with the ferry lines from France.
They will definitely run in October, though Genoa is actually no further.

Does anybody has recent first hand info regarding voucher requirement when sailing from Italy?
Are vouchers still mandatory?

thanks!

Don't know what a voucher is [for], but they definitely won't let you on without a return ticket. No exceptions. (Dec '22).

I was referring to Hotel Voucher
Here is my previous post in this thread
https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...8-4#post627723

On italian government website is not clear if it's mandatory or not.
https://www.viaggiaresicuri.it/find-country/country/TUN
In the "Altre informazioni" tab it still says:

"Si segnala che al Porto de "La Goulette" si sono verificati episodi di diniego all’ingresso in Tunisia di viaggiatori (italiani e europei) che non erano muniti di voucher alberghiero.[...] In caso di ingresso per via marittima tramite il Porto de "La Goulette", si consiglia di essere muniti di:
- passaporto in corso di validità
- biglietto a/r
- voucher alberghiero
- informazioni puntuali sull’itinerario del viaggio."

Google translate can help with translation, but even for italians the info is not clear.
"Si consiglia" can be translated in "is recommended", not in "is mandatory". That's why I asked for first hand infos

The last report I read from December said the people at Tunis port did ask for the hotel voucher (travellers were in a campervan and persuasive) and as we know, sometimes the police call the lodgings to check they are not faked and people get sent back.
So I think it is still current.

Apropos of places to "Don't Go", I would add Tunisia to the list of places to avoid at this time.

The country is in the midst of some pretty severe economic hardship and some pretty serious political problems.

If you are thinking of going to Tunisia this year, perhaps first read the post I made about my recent experience there, that post is here:

Leaving Tunisia in 2021

It is a sad story about the state the country is currently in, and a warning to others. Prior to 2000, Tunisia was a very pleasant place to visit on a moto.

Michael

Well I dont think anyone going to Tunisia now will have the problems you had during the pandemic and the irrational actions that were taken because of it.

So I see little reason to be gloomy. Africa is always in some kind of trouble.

But. Desertmasters is holding a Tunisia rally in November that sounds interesting even to me who normally stay away from those kind of events.
Since it is NON COMPETITIVE.
For fun!
Imagine that.:Dbeer
https://linktr.ee/desertmaster
https://www.instagram.com/desertmasterofficial/

And in March there was the more traditional Fenix rally
https://www.facebook.com/RallyFenix/

That's true. I know that from personal experience, because I spent a good part of my working life flying humanitarian flights for the Red Cross in the middle of various African wars: Angola, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda, Libya, and DR Congo, as well as the conflict in Western Sahara in the late 80s / early 90s.

It's precisely because of that personal & professional experience that I know how difficult things can get and how quickly circumstances can change during periods of instability or outright conflict in an African country. Tunisia is unstable right now, and past history suggests that things are going to get worse (more unstable) before they get better.

Remember that Tunisia is unique (for overlanders) because there are only two ways out: the ferry, or crossing into Algeria. The ferry will shut down in a heartbeat if conflict or widespread civil disruption occurs. A sudden need to make a forced, unplanned exit into Algeria (if that is even possible at the time) will be like getting out of the frying pan into the fire.

It's all about risk management, and risk management means taking a prudent look at what could go wrong, and what one's options would be if things do go wrong.

Tunisia is a fascinating place with friendly people - it will still be there in the future to visit once things settle down.

Michael

I'll be heading to Tunis at the beginning of August on a long stopover en route to Egypt. Other than the economic issues which many countries around the world are experiencing over the past few years I haven't heard of any reason why it would be a bad time to visit Tunisia.

On the countrary, we should make more of an effort to visit countries that are experiencing economic plight; they could really use our tourist dollars.

I am leaving for Tunisia in a week and will post my experience afterwards. Having been to Morocco three times now I wanted to see a bit more of Northern Africa.

I have a return ferry ticket with GNV and have booked the first hotel in Tunis. Vehicle insurance is already arranged (green card from my local insurance office). I am planning to get a SIM-card from an official shop in Tunis center.

Total time in Tunisia is a bit over seven days, I will look for the rest of the accommodation when I get there. I am planning something in the lines of Tunis - El Kef - Tozeur - Douz - Tataouine - Djerba - Sousse - Tunis. I will avoid Kasserine and the surrounding mountains, sticking to main roads for that bit.

I would like to enter Parc Jebil but from what I have heard, that could be difficult. I will ride to Cafe La Port Du Desert first and see from there. According to OpenStreetMaps there is a Gendarmerie post just north of the cafe. Otherwise I will ride around it. No harm in trying.

Main goal is to see a couple of cities, ancient relics, maybe some movie sets, do a bit of desert riding (sticking to existing tracks).

A summary of my trip. Entering Tunisia was easy. It started at the port of Genova where I needed to show my return ticket before leaving, plus pay 20 Dinar (possible in EUR too). That was all for the departure.

After arriving it was enough to show a Booking.com screenshot of the hotel in Tunis where I only booked the first night. One of the other passengers was staying at a hotel with family and he didn’t have a reservation, which apparently wasn’t an issue. Didn’t hear or see anything regarding hotel vouchers.

Customs is cumbersome so keep your patience and do as you are told, you need to pass by around five or six people in sequence to get through. There is somebody that will try to help you fill in the blue import form but I got fixer vibes so I did it myself.

I never had to show any form of vehicle insurance (I did have it with me, green card with TN on it). Or travel insurance, or COVID paperwork. Only my pasport and vehicle registration (carte grise).

At a couple of archeological sites my license plate was written down by the tourism police. Plus where I was coming from and where I was going to. Both times I asked the police officer to watch my bike while I roamed around the ruins and they happily helped. At most hotels I was asked to fill out a form with similar questions.

Parc Jebil was fully accessible but I did have a tour guide to ride in front. For the rest of the trip I was able to ride my planned itinerary.

Big bikes are rare here. Only saw them in the capital. Everyone rides those Asian mopeds. Expect many stares and waves as you enter cities with your European/Japanese adventure touring motorcycle, a lot more than Morocco where tourism appears to be normalised.

And a bit of a thumbs down for GNV. Ship was supposed to leave at 18:00 and arrive at 18:30 the next day. Without any communication we arrived at around 00:00 and it took about 45 minutes waiting in the parking deck before we could leave. Not fun with those fumes. Riding into Tunis at night also wasn’t the plan as the travel advice advices not to travel after sunset. Luckily the hotel had a 24-hour reception and was close to the harbor. Plus it was behind a police checkpoint that didn’t let anyone through, so I had great security for my motorcycle.

Highly recommended country to travel to. Many fun things to see and do, wonderful people and easy to navigate.

Hotel
 

Hi, great advice, could you tell me the name of the hotel near the harbour sounds a useful place to know, thank you Russ